Media & Client Comment - what they say about 4sight and coaching
Client Comments
“The other aspect which is invaluable to me is dealing with conflict situations, which I naturally try to avoid. Getting from there to collaborating mode is essential for my personal success and the success of the business. David has helped me to resolve some issues of this type. I found the Goal Setting part we did very exciting, and it sort of underpins everything else we did.”
(Director – Financial Services)
“I found the whole experience an opportunity to reflect on many management techniques that have been locked away in a cupboard ! As many of them I have been taught on many management courses, but never been fully implemented. In particular I found sessions on: communication – understanding how to ensure my management team remain ‘on message’; personal values; goal setting and drilling down to establish milestones.
I have booked a further 12 sessions for 2008 which I shall have with other members of my team.”
(Managing Director – Engineering & Construction Company)
“My coaching sessions with David Bredin have been an important step in my personal development, providing clear new opportunities to reflect, learn and implement a number of new concepts and ideas. Providing a conceptual framework for issues such as influencing, creating relationships and networks have provided a robust understanding of behaviour in organizations that are essential for effective leadership. Many of the topics and models introduced provide excellent, generic models to understand and therefore change behaviour. The Leadership mapping exercise has provided me with a framework to allow reflection and provide focus for personal growth.
Inevitably, the coaching sessions require time and commitment. In my opinion, this investment has been very worthwhile and I intend to continue my professional relationship with David Bredin.”
(CEO & Director – Scientific Research Organisation)
“In the early stages, the coaching helped me enormously with my preparation for and the giving of a seminar to local surveyors, something about which I was extremely nervous. The success of this was a boost to my self-confidence, as have been the further work and exercises done more recently.
I very much enjoyed working with David. He never let me get away with sloppy thinking and made me work hard but I am confident that the results of the coaching will remain with me permanently.”
(Partner – Law Firm)
“David’s input has helped me understand the key elements of my role in looking a these strategic issues and the need for me to spend time on these matters and either ignoring or delegating other tasks which are of secondary importance.
David has helped me to feel more confident in addressing some of my known weaknesses and has also had the perception to highlight other areas which may be reducing my working effectiveness that I had not previously considered.”
(General Manager (Finance) – Holiday Touring Company)
“Over the last few months I have had to deal with not only my own, but also the organising of others’ redundancies. It has been quite traumatic dealing with the staff’s emotions. David helped me keep my head when others were not. He made me focus, set my targets by breaking them down into manageable elements and continue working towards them. He has continually helped me build my confidence to enable me to carry out the tasks in hand. I have been complemented on my professional attitude during this trying period and can only thank David for helping me. I have no hesitation in recommending him to others.”
(Head of Human Resources - Career Development Organisation)
Purchasers comments:
I feel that Colin (name changed) listens more and takes in the bigger picture. He is far more confident in himself. This is particularly useful in the International Arena that he now finds himself”
(HR Manager – Agricultural Plant Breeders Organisation)
“This person appeared to be calmer and more composed as well as more able to take a more objective view about her future.
David’s coaching enabled her to reflect on her opportunities as well as helping her to find ways to cope with a situation which she was finding personally challenging. The coaching also helped her to become more realistic about what she could achieve and helped her devise strategies for prioritising her time more effectively.
The investment has been well spent and the organisation has been most grateful for this opportunity.”
(CEO – Career Development Organisation)
“This person is much more confident and less sensitive to criticism. He is better prepared to face difficulties in his team. I think it has strengthened his position as a Director.
The investment made on the coaching structure for this person has been well spent and must be continued with a follow up. It was a pleasure working with David - a very worthwhile project.”
(HR Director – R&D Plant Breeding)
Media Comment
‘Companies that use well-trained management coaches receive a return on investment of between 600% and 1,000%.’
Daily Telegraph survey 24th March 2003
‘Employees at Nortel networks estimate that one-to-one coaching earned the company a 529% return on investment and significant intangible benefits to the business, according to calculations prepared by Merrill C Anderson, a professor of clinical education at Drake University.’
Psychology Today Jan. 2003
‘I estimate that an hour’s coaching frees up three to four hours to think or do things with more focus. It also helps me to think about long-term issues despite being mired in the daily grind.’
(Julia Hobsbawn – CE of Editorial Intelligence - Spectator May 2007)
‘Daily Telegraph estimated last month (Apr 07) that roughly 1/3 of the bosses of FTSE 100 companies use a personal coach’
(Spectator May 07)
In a 2004 survey of 30 top UK organisations run by CIPD the following ‘belief’ in coaching was revealed:
- 99% believe coaching can deliver benefits to both individual and organisation
- 96% believe that coaching is an effective way to promote learning in organisations
- 93% believe that coaching and mentoring are KEY mechanisms for transferring learning from courses to the workplace
- 92% believe that when coaching is managed effectively it can make a positive impact on the bottom line.
In a 2004 survey carried out by the Association of Coaching among ‘purchasers of coaching’ the following was found:
- In 72% of cases ‘purchasers’ of coaching use coaches to develop individuals’ business performance.
- The largest definable group (19%) being offered coaching is Board Directors
- Cost was a consideration in selecting coaches but it not regarded as very important as costs at an average of between £100 and £300 per hour are considered reasonable.
- 88% of coaching occurs ‘face-to-face’ supported by telephone and e-mail
- The process of coaching is most effective at increasing confidence, developing strategies for coping with work demands and enhancing personal performance
- The biggest quantifiable benefit derived from coaching was reported to be ‘increased productivity’ 69% of those who had been coached would be coached again